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Newcastle United v Everton team news & stats

Romelu Lukaku will hope to become the first Everton player since 1954 to score in eight consecutive games in the Boxing Day clash at Newcastle United.

Team news

Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse is a major doubt after suffering a groin injury in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa last weekend, with 19-year-old Ivan Toney recalled from his loan spell at Barnsley as cover just in case.

Jamaal Lascelles is back in training after a hamstring injury and will soon be joined by Steven Taylor (also hamstring), Rolando Aarons and Emmanuel Riviere (both foot), but Tim Krul (knee ligaments), Mike Williamson (hamstring), Massadio Haidara (knee cartilage) and Gabriel Obertan (hamstring) remain on the sidelines.

For Everton, Phil Jagielka, Steven Pienaar, James McCarthy and Bryan Oviedo are all set to feature at some point over the festive period, but Boxing Day may come too soon for the quintet.

McCarthy (hip) has missed the last four games, captain Jagielka (knee) and Oviedo (hamstring) have been out for two months, while Pienaar (hamstring) has only played one match in the last year.

Steven Naismith should be fit to feature, however, after recovering from a knock to his ankle.

Kick-off at St James’ Park is at 5.30pm.

Opta stats

Newcastle United have won 12 Premier League home games against Everton – only against Aston Villa (14) have they won more at St James’ Park.

However, Everton have won five and lost just one of their last seven Premier League meetings with Newcastle United (W5 D1 L1).

Newcastle are unbeaten in three Premier League games (W2 D1), the first time they’ve managed to go three league games without defeat since February 2015 (W1 D2).

Newcastle have dropped more points from winning positions than any other team in the Premier League this season (12).

Romelu Lukaku has had a hand in nine goals in six Premier League appearances against Newcastle (five goals, four assists).

Lukaku is the first Everton player to score in eight successive matches in all competitions since Dave Hickson between Jan-Mar 1954.

The last player to score in nine successive games (all competitions) for Everton was Dixie Dean in October 1927.

Lukaku has now scored in seven successive Premier League matches – there have only been four previous occasions of a player scoring in eight successive Premier League games.

Ross Barkley has scored or assisted 12 goals in 17 Premier League appearances this season (six goals, six assists). Before 2015-16 he had a hand in 10 goals (eight goals, two assists) in 76 Premier League games.